the season might be over but the window is still open

I'm not gonna count this team out until they're mathematically eliminated (they've overcome too much) but let's say they do finish in the 8-8 range and out of the playoffs, does than mean that the window is closing?

I say NOOO, first, the steelers finish 9-7 last year, they're still contenders, the saint finished 8-8 in 2008, won the superbowl the year after that, the titans started 0-6 last year, the'ye looking good, and the list goes on and on. Second, they still have a lot of young (or in their prime) talent, only Jammer will be older, the rest will be a year better.

Now, they do need to get their heads out of their azzes, AJ has to have a great draft, with one first rounder, 2 seconds (Cromartie will be a 2nd rounder) and basically 3 third rounders (with Donald Butler comming back), he has to hit on a lot of those. Since I don't think Norv is going anywhere, he has to coach better and the players have to change their attitude that they can turn it on at any time and play pizzed off since the first game.

I don't have high hopes for the 2010 Chargers, but I do have high hopes for them in the comming years

The window is closing in the sense that winning the west is no longer gonna be automatic. The other teams in the division are either catching up (Oak) or have surpassed us (KC). As of right now, I see KC taking this division and the free trip to the playoffs. I don't see how we make it unless we win out, and even then I don't know if 11-5 will be good enough to wild card it (like NE a few years back).

As for the window closing on the team, if AJ doesn't do something drastic about Norv ASAP then we're screwed until Norv (and AJ) are toast.